In order to maintain an aquarium with aquatic plants and animals, the organisms need to be fed periodically. The length between feeding can vary widely depending on, for instance, the species and age of the animals. Maintaining a proper and reliable feeding schedule can be cumbersome, especially if the caretaker has other obligations, such as a full-time job, trips and vacations, emergencies, and the like. Such obligations can result in undesirably varied feeding schedules due to extended absences or just forgetting to feed the animals at all.